Top Ten Collaboration Songs of 2018 Between American and German Artists

Collaborations across borders aren’t the norm in most genres and scenes, despite mutual respect on both sides. Electronica and metal may be an exception. Even less common is when artists from different continents team up for a song. Nevertheless, it happened a couple of times in 2018 that American and German artists recorded a song together. Not too often, but enough to fill a list about the topic. So here we go!
The Top Ten
1 I Like It - Cardi B, Kontra K and AK Ausserkontrolle

Cardi B is American, Kontra K and AK Ausserkontrolle are German.

The original version of "I Like It" was a big number one hit in the USA, but didn't do that well in Germany. Maybe to boost its popularity, chart topping rapper Kontra K and newcomer AK Ausserkontrolle recorded verses of their own for an official new version, replacing Bad Bunny's and J. Balvin's Spanish parts. It peaked at number 8 in Switzerland, and number 14 in Germany and Austria. Kontra K's lyrics deal with the fact that he values friendship and honor over fame and wealth and also uses many Spanish loanwords to keep up with the original tone. AK Ausserkontrolle is a bit less interesting, rapping straightforward about hustling and money, but his autotuned sing-sang delivery is quite catchy. Cardi B's verse and chorus, as well as the beat stay the same. I already got hooked on the original version, and this version, in which I now can understand everything they say, too.

2 Heartbroken - Doro & Doug Aldrich

Doro is German, Doug Aldrich is American.

The German "Queen of Metal" Doro Pesch released a very fine and fun oldschool hard rock album that got her the highest chart position in her 30 year old career. On this rocking earworm jam, "Heartbroken", she collaborated with American guitarist Doug Aldrich whose solo is really scene stealing.

I love this.
Yes, Doug Aldrich is a very fine guitarist (long-term Whitesnake guitarist, he also played for Dio).
Doro - I love her voice and spirit. She sounds like she hasn't been getting old.

3 GIGI (ZKITTLEZ) - GRiNGO & 6ix9ine

GRiNGO is German, 6ix9ine is American.

This was the first time I heard 6ix9ine rapping without putting on his loud screaming voice. He actually has a nice flow and got positive reception on his verse. GRiNGO's reviews were more mixed. Many were turned off by the fact that his lyrics are more like tags instead of fluent text. But in fact, it's a callback to a flow from the early 2010s popularized by Haftbefehl. Overall, this is a fine trap song.
NOTE: This was originally released as "Zkittlez" on both the music video and for streaming/download. For whatever reason, the title was changed to "GIGI (Zkittlez)" soon afterwards, even with the cover artwork altered to display the new title.

4 Sprite - Ufo361 & Rich The Kid

Ufo361 is German, Rich The Kid is American.

In the early 2000s, guest verses by American artists were common in German hip hop. It was often seen as an honor if an artist from the country rap originates from collaborated with a German hip hop artist. But then, German hip hop departed from the typically American sound more and more, it became darker, heavier and more cinematic / theatrical, while in the USA Kanye West and Lil Wayne changed the style towards a lighter attitude. Many then viewed that the German and American rappers don't harmonize as much as before, that's why it become rarer to see such combos, despite German hip hop being more commercially successful now. But nowadays they got a common demeanor again: trap is popular in both the USA and Germany, having boosted interest in such collaborations again. Ufo361 is one of the best artists of the German trap scene, and he collaborated with two American artists on his second album of 2018, "VVS": Quavo on the title track and Rich The Kid on "Sprite". Fans of trap music, especially those of Future, will be pleased.

5 Unsterblichkeit - Bushido & Akon

Bushido is German, Akon is American.

"Mythos" by the biggest German rapper Bushido is a hip hop masterpiece, and while it's mostly a Bushido solo show, occasionally he invited his two newest apprentices Capital Bra and Samra to team up with him. But what stands out most on the album is "Unsterblich", with American RnB singer. Not only because it's a US feature, but because the beat audibly wasn't produced by Bushido like a majority of the album.

6 NURMAGOMEDOW - Farid Bang & The Game

Farid Bang is German, The Game is American.

The Game already collaborated with Kollegah twice, who is Farid Bang's best buddy. But I have to say that I like this record better. When The Game rapped over a Kollegah style beat, and Kollegah rapped over a The Game style beat, they may had good verses, but never felt like they naturally belonged on the instrumental. Farid Bang picked a beat that is more trap oriented but still with a tad bit oldschool touch than his usual heavy, epic instrumentals, which suits both rappers.

7 VVS - Ufo361 & Quavo
8 Mr. Vain - Alex Christensen, The Berlin Orchestra, Anastacia & Ski

Alex Christensen, The Berlin Orchestra and Ski are German, Anastacia is American.

In 2017, producer Alex Christensen had a surprise success with an album in which he re-imagined classic eurodance songs with full orchestra but still as techno. In 2018, he released an even more successful sequel. While the vocals on the first volume were mostly performed by anonymous singers, he afforded a bunch of popular singers for the second volume, including two songs featuring vocals by American singer Anastacia, who is a superstar in many countries, apart from the US, where she originates from. She and the orchestra do a good job, but nothing beats the original versions, which are classics of the 90s.

9 Big Dreams - Fler & Rick Ross

Fler is German, Rick Ross is American.

I am not exactly a fan of Rick Ross, who I regarded to be uninspired in his flow, image, lyrics and sound, and who is often off-beat. Especially the latter made me wonder why Fler, who repeatedly criticized the lack of sense of time in German hip hop, picked him as a guest verse. But I have to say: this is the best I heard him flow on a song. Yeah, I like it. It's not one of the best Fler tracks, but it's good.

10 Another Night - Alex Christensen, The Berlin Orchestra & Anastacia
The Contenders
11 INTERNATIONAL GANGSTAS - Farid Bang, Capo, 6ix9ine & SCH

Farid Bang and Capo are German, 6ix9ine is American, SCH is French.

On paper, it reads like the male hip hop equivalent to "Lady Marmalade", as in their respective country, all four artists are well known (Farid Bang much more than Capo, but also the latter had a top ten album, and is the brother of Haftbefehl), and it feels like an all star cast. But the song itself isn't that spectacular. They all deliver solid verses (I don't speak French though, I don't know what SCH raps), the beat is okay, but it's never gripping. Also, bloth 6ix9ine's loud screaming and Farid Bang's butch voice work better on heavy beats, while this is trap. I also dislike that Capo and Farid Bang only mention each other and 6ix9ine in their parts, ignoring SCH. 6ix9ine shouts out to all three other rappers in the intro. As far as I understood, SCH never mentions any of them. I'd say mention al or none, not just some.

12 Donlife - Kollegah

Because TTT screwed up the title:
This is by Kollegah feat. Cam'ron.

13 Continental - Kollegah
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